Senegal Officially Terminates Akon’s $6 Billion ‘Akon City’ Project Over Inactivity and Missed Commitments
Senegal has officially cancelled plans for the much-publicized $6 billion “Akon City,” a futuristic smart city project proposed by Senegalese-American artist and entrepreneur Akon, due to prolonged delays and failure to meet financial obligations.
Originally launched in 2020, the ambitious project aimed to transform Mbodiène, a coastal village, into a high-tech, eco-friendly city powered by solar energy and driven by Akon’s cryptocurrency, Akoin. Inspired by Marvel’s Wakanda, Akon City was envisioned as a pan-African hub for innovation, tourism, and job creation.
However, five years later, little to no development has taken place on the 136 acres of land allocated for the city. As a result, Senegalese authorities have decided to revoke the majority of the land granted for the project.
“The project no longer exists,” confirmed Serigne Mamadou Mboup, Director General of SAPCO-Senegal, the government agency responsible for developing the country’s coastal zones and tourism initiatives.
According to Bloomberg, the government will instead pursue a scaled-down, state-backed tourism development on the same site.
The revised plan, estimated at approximately $1.2 billion (665 billion CFA francs), will be primarily funded by private investors. Akon is expected to retain only 8 hectares of land from the original allotment, which will now be integrated into the new government-led initiative.
The cancellation has sparked disappointment among supporters who saw the project as a beacon of African innovation.
Akon had previously championed the city as a game-changer for economic empowerment and digital transformation across Africa. Despite the grand vision, critics repeatedly questioned its feasibility, citing vague timelines and limited transparency.
